Kindergarten kid

PRINCETON — Nearly a month into kindergarten, 5-year-old Cameron Lawrence of Princeton says things are going well, and he’s smarter than when he started.

Last week, Cameron completed his 25th day at St. Louis Catholic School in Princeton. During his first 25 days at school, he’s learned how to write a bunch of lower case and upper case letters, including the letters L and O, noting that his teacher, Linda Carter, taught him to start at the top when making the letter O, and then go down and around, closing it up back at the top.

During a recent visit, he practiced writing the letter G. The upper case is like the letter C, but then you turn and go back with a straight line. For the lower case g, you make your long loop, make a straight line down, and then come around in a fish hook, Cameron said.

He’s also learning to write his numbers and to count. His numbers are definitely what he likes best, Cameron said.

Another good part of school is when his teacher reads to them. His favorite book is “Go Away Big Green Monster.” The funny part is at the end when it says “and don’t come back until I say so.” Now that’s a good book, Cameron said.

He also likes when he and his classmates get to use tape recorders and head phones to follow along with books that they can “read.” But you have to remember to put the tape in on Side A, Cameron said.

Of course, Cameron said lunch and recess are always fun times at school too.

For lunch, most days he brings a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with some juice, a fruit snack, and, of course, some napkins. On other days, when he doesn’t bring a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, he’ll switch it around and bring a jelly and peanut butter sandwich, he said.

So far, there’s not been anything too hard about kindergarten, and he looks forward to going each day.

Cameron’s parents, David and Katie Lawrence of Princeton, are pleased their son is adjusting to kindergarten and doing well.

David, who is the principal at Ladd Grade School, takes Cameron to school each morning and Katie, a teacher at Annawan High School, picks him up about 4 p.m. from the St. Louis after-school program. As educators, they know the importance of a good education for their children and are thankful Cameron is enjoying kindergarten. In the evenings, they talk with Cameron about what he’s done that day in school, Katie said.

The other evening at the dinner table, Cameron asked his mother if she knew what a compound word was. Katie said she did know, but would like Cameron to explain what he knew about compound words. Cameron got it just right, giving examples of compound words like birthday and popcorn, and explaining that if you split a compound word in the middle, you get two smaller words, Katie said.

As a mom, she’s thrilled her son is eager to go to school each day and that he comes home talking about the new things he’s learning.

But there are still some bittersweet times for Katie. Before kindergarten, she took Cameron, and his 1-year-old brother, Sam, with her each school day to daycare and then pre-school in Annawan. She enjoyed those special times and conversations in the car with Cameron.

But just the other day, Katie saw a combine in a field, and she turned to point it out to Cameron, but Cameron wasn’t there. He was at school.

Having Cameron in kindergarten is an adjustment for everyone, Katie said.